Life’s Work: Norman Foster

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Norman Foster gained fame in the early 1970s as the architect of the Willis Faber and Dumas headquarters , in Ipswich, England—an eco-friendly, open-plan building that was radical for its time. He has since built more than 250 works, from the Swiss Re (Gherkin) tower in London to the Beijing Airport ; won many of the world’s top architectural prizes; and been appointed a British knight and life peer. The founder and chairman of Foster + Partners, he oversees 15 offices with 1,000 employees working on projects in 40 countries.

HBR: Why did you become an architect?

Foster: Working in Manchester when I was younger, I spent every spare minute wandering around buildings in the city. I wasn’t consciously thinking, “One day I am going to be an architect; therefore I should be doing this.” I was just drawn to them— Barton Arcade , for instance, or the Daily Express building . Travel and the lessons from studying buildings and cities are as important to me now as they were when I was at architecture school. In that sense I am still a student.

How did collaborating with other architects help you?

Working with Richard Rogers and Wendy, my wife, as Team 4 was a very intense start-up period. I sometimes think we were a bit like a pop group, in that the things that brought us together contained the seeds that drove us apart. Wendy and I went on to form Foster Associates, and as the guiding spirit, she was integral to the realization of the practice.

Did you have mentors?

“Bucky,” Richard Buckminster Fuller , was the very essence of a moral conscience, forever warning about the fragility of the planet and man’s responsibility to protect it. He was one of those individuals who fundamentally influence the way you view the world. Otl Aicher , the celebrated German graphic designer, was another mentor. Both he and Bucky were really philosophers at heart. My time at Yale and the people I was exposed to there, in particular Paul Rudolph , Serge Chermayeff , and Vincent Scully , also had an incredible impact on me. Paul Rudolph created a studio atmosphere that was highly creative, competitive, and fueled by a succession of visiting luminaries. That “can do” approach has inspired my practice for more than 40 years. Thinking about it, our studios, like those at Yale during term time, are open 24 hours, seven days a week. One of the most significant aspects of the practice is its continuing ability to attract the best young talent.

Why do you think the Willis Faber and Dumas building was so well received?

Perhaps because the design supported the ethos and open structure of the firm. Although Willis had 2,100 employees, it was like a family business. The directors knew many of the staff by their Christian names, and the company had a relaxed management structure and an open-door policy, which encouraged easy lines of communication at all levels. The unprecedented use of escalators in a three-story structure, the central atrium, and the social dimension—the swimming pool, the rooftop garden and restaurant—were all conceived in a spirit of democratizing the workplace and encouraging this sense of community. It was also a celebratory building, in contrast to the downbeat mood of the 1970s in Britain.

What makes workplace design so important?

OK, let’s put issues of architecture and emotion to one side for a moment. A workplace that is a good place to be attracts people to stay, and that translates directly into improved productivity and material reward. It can also break down divisions. For example, we’ve challenged stereotypes about white-collar and blue-collar staff; instead of separating them, we bring them together in what I call democratic pavilions.

You’ve said that you hate committees but like teams. Why?

Part of the art of being an architect is to be a good listener. But I also believe in always providing strong leadership. Something that is designed by committee, in the end, tends to be compromised. Nothing wins out. The best buildings can be questioned, assailed, revered, but they are always about a vision. At the same time, they are only there because of a dedicated team of people—maybe a tiny core group, or a veritable army spread out across continents—who at every turn rejected the shortcut and collectively burned the midnight oil.

Is “design thinking” applicable to the business world?

There are certainly skills that can be applied, not least the application of creativity to solving complex problems. I would mention teamwork again here; a building is a focus of energies.

How hands-on are you, as a manager and as a designer?

I’ve designed the company to run so that the maximum amount of my time is available for design—which is, after all, our core activity and also a personal passion. I’m free to roam widely rather than be pinned down by day-to-day activities.

What makes a good architect?

An open mind, energy, an appetite for hard work, a willingness to explore new solutions and push boundaries. A sense of humor is also helpful. At Foster + Partners we all do what we do because we are motivated to do our best. Media attention is certainly not necessary, nor does it affect what we design. Feedback, whether positive or negative, is given during regular reviews with the design board, which I chair. In this respect, the studio is close in spirit to a school of architecture with a jury system of critics united by a consistent code of design ethics.

What’s the secret to dealing with clients?

There is a constant dialogue and exchange of ideas. Design may be about communicating and motivating, but it is always the reconciliation of conflicting demands. Listening is vital, as is asking the right questions. In the end, it’s about the chemistry of the relationship.

How has technology influenced your work?

As a practice, we’ve always recognized the value of new technologies—whether it’s rapid prototyping or digital modeling—but it’s important to remember that the computer is just another tool, like the pencil. Technology is a means, not an end. The ends are social and always have been. The important things, like a belief in research, do not change.

What type of recognition do you value most?

Recognition by one’s peers is gratifying, but in the end the work must speak for itself. In a wider sense, I place importance on the recognition of the value of architecture and environment by the public and the media. It certainly has a higher profile today than, say, 30 years ago. That is something that was long overdue. There is a wider, greater debate—more interest.

How do you measure a project’s success?

Good design can be quantifiable. At our Langley Academy , for example, the students can monitor the school’s performance against sustainable targets: Digital displays in the plant room show water consumption as well as energy delivered by the ground-source heat pump and roof-mounted solar panels. The more poetic dimensions, such as the importance of views, friendliness, or the pleasure we feel in a hot climate when moving into the shade, are more difficult to quantify.

What has been your greatest professional frustration?

That there is never enough time to do everything I would like. I haven’t conquered this—probably never will. There are lessons to be learned in every project and many opportunities which, for one reason or another, were never realized. I always prefer to look forward—to celebrate the next challenge.

Where and when do you do your best work?

Everywhere. I sketch all the time. I see it as a means of communication. In some ways it’s a dialogue with myself—the visual equivalent to the notes or lists you might jot down. At the same time, in a meeting or a design review I might find that I’m furiously scribbling away while I talk, because I need a drawing to communicate a point.

How do you relax?

At home, with my family. Alone on a bicycle or cross-country skis.

A version of this article appeared in the March 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review.

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